The Qi Zhiyuan 綦志远

Qi Zhiyuan (1190-1255) was a native of Ye County, Laizhou, Shandong Province during the Jin and Yuan dynasties. His courtesy name was Zixuan, and his Taoist title was "Real Person Baiyun" (White Cloud Real Person).

As recorded in Ganshui Xianyuan Lu (Records of Immortal Origins by the Sweet Water): Qi Zhiyuan came from a prominent family with a long-standing reputation.

His father, Qi Zun, founded Longxiang Taoist Temple in the seventh year of the Dading era (1167), where he reverently enshrined Wang Chongyang (the founder of the Quanzhen School) and various other Taoist Real Persons who had undertaken journeys to the west.

Qi Zhiyuan studied under Qiu Changchun (Qiu Chuji, known as Real Person Changchun). In the second year of the Xingding era (1218), Qiu Changchun appointed him as the abbot of Haotian Taoist Temple in Laizhou. When Qiu Changchun embarked on his westward journey (to meet Genghis Khan), Qi Zhiyuan was one of the disciples who accompanied him.

After returning to Yanjing (later renamed Dadu, present-day Beijing), Qiu Changchun served as the abbot of the Grand Changchun Taoist Temple. Qi Zhiyuan was placed in charge of the temple’s administrative affairs and was conferred the title "Great Master Qingzhen" (Pure and True Great Master). He was also granted a copy of The Scripture and Talisman for Assisting the State and Saving the People.

Following Qiu Changchun’s death, Yin Qinghe (Yin Zhiping, known as Real Person Qinghe) took charge of the Quanzhen School, and Qi Zhiyuan assisted him in maintaining the sect’s operations.

In the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Yuan Dynasty (1234), Real Person Qinghe entrusted Qi Zhiyuan with the task of traveling across various circuits in Shandong to promote Taoist teachings. Later, he followed the accomplished Taoist Li Zhenchang (Li Zhichang) to the imperial capital by imperial decree. He was then ordered to assist Yu Dongzhen in reestablishing the ancestral courtyard of the Quanzhen School on Zhongnan Mountain and to supervise Taoist affairs across all circuits in Shaanxi.

In the twelfth year of Emperor Taizong’s reign (1240), Qi Zhiyuan founded Daxuandu Longevity Palace. He also restored several Taoist temples, including Bailu Taoist Temple on Lishan Mountain, Taiyi Taoist Temple on Zhongnan Mountain, Baiyun Taoist Temple in Fanchuan, Changsheng Taoist Temple at Fengqi, and Jinshan Taoist Temple in Lantian. He was further ordered to preside over the "Luotian Grand Ritual" (a large-scale Taoist ceremony for universal blessing), and in recognition of his contributions, he was specially conferred the title "Real Person Baiyun of Spreading the Dao in the Taoist Community".

In the first year of the reign of Emperor Xianzong of the Yuan Dynasty (1251), Qi Zhiyuan took charge of Taoist affairs in Guanzhong (a region in central Shaanxi). As stated in The Stele of Qi Zhiyuan, Real Person Baiyun of Spreading the Dao in the Taoist Community: "Throughout his life, he was humble and modest in his conduct. However, when discussing important matters related to the Taoist sect, he spoke firmly with resolute manner, and his words were always well-founded—all his disciples were convinced by him."

During his tenure overseeing Taoist affairs in Guanzhong, people from all over the region gathered to follow and revere him.

His reputation reached the imperial court, and he was repeatedly commended for his contributions. In the fifth year of Emperor Xianzong’s reign (1255), he passed away peacefully without illness at the age of 66, and was buried in the immortal cemetery at the ancestral courtyard on Zhongnan Mountain.